Palestinian Resistance liberates 30 prisoners from Israeli prisons

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
28 Nov 2023 23:40

Al-Qassam Brigades and al-Quds Brigades say they handed over Israeli captives to the ICRC as part of the fifth batch of the exchange deal.

Former Palestinian prisoners who were liberated by the Palestinian Resistance fly Palestinian and Hamas flags while they are carried on the shoulders upon their arrival in the occupied West Bank town of Beitunia, November 24, 2023 (AP)

The Israeli occupation's prison service said on Tuesday that 30 Palestinian prisoners were liberated from the Israeli occupation's prisons as part of the prisoners-captives swap deal imposed on the Israeli occupation.

This comes after al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas Resistance movement, and al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, revealed Tuesday that they handed over a new batch of Israeli captives in Gaza to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Al-Qassam Brigades and al-Quds Brigades publish footage of the latest handover of Israeli captives and foreign nationals as part of the fifth batch of the prisoners-captives exchange.#Palestine pic.twitter.com/6E3lUrgIUS
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) November 28, 2023

The ceasefire agreement, which includes a prisoner swap, saw the Palestinian Resistance releasing Israeli captives for five days in a row, with the al-Quds Brigades issuing a statement underlining that it released several Israeli non-military captives as part of the prisoner swap deal.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that the Israeli captives were already crossing the Rafah border crossing to enter Egypt in Red Cross ambulances.

10 Israeli settlers were released from Gaza in exchange for the liberated Palestinian prisoners. Another two foreign nationals will be released apart from the prisoner exchange deal.

The family members of liberated #Palestinian prisoner Hamza Maghribi run to embrace their child after being released from Israeli occupation prisons. pic.twitter.com/VLetn4rjwP
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) November 28, 2023

Festivities filled the occupied Palestinian West Bank as the Palestinian prisoners celebrated their newfound freedom thanks to the Resistance.

Liberated #Palestinian prisoner Mervat Hsheimeh embraces her daughter Wafaa after being released from Israeli occupation prisons. pic.twitter.com/iFg6NtpdJa
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) November 28, 2023

Prior to the prisoners' release, Israeli occupation forces stormed the houses of several of them, took some family members for interrogation, and ordered them not to hold any form of festivities.

Liberated prisoner Qassam Atoun hugs his mom after his release tonight as part of the fifth day of the truce.#Palestine pic.twitter.com/x8mMBHQTzu
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) November 28, 2023

The family members of liberated #Palestinian prisoner Hamza Maghribi run to embrace their child after being released from Israeli occupation prisons. pic.twitter.com/VLetn4rjwP
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) November 28, 2023

On Monday, Hamas announced that an agreement was reached to extend the temporary truce agreement in return for a prisoner exchange for two days, which was set to expire Tuesday morning, noting that the deal will be under the same terms as the previous truce.

The original agreement stipulated the liberation of 150 Palestinians in exchange for the Resistance releasing 50 Israeli captives.

Meanwhile, the entity continues its aggression campaign against the families of the released prisoners amid Israeli reports that the truce represents a failure to the occupation and an achievement for the Resistance, storming their homes and preventing them from celebrating the return of their loved ones, in addition to threatening them against showing any signs of festivities.

Israeli media reported that as the truce continues, there are talks that it might be upheld for a couple extra days.

Israeli Channel security affairs correspondent Amir Bar Shalom said there were talks about extending the truce for two more days, for a total of eight, with speculation that it might be extended for another two, for a grand total of 10 days.

"Israeli officials speculate the truce might be extended for two more days" so that more captives would be released, "and the fighting will resume on the weekend," Israeli media said.

"There is pressure from Qatar to go ahead with a large-scale, comprehensive prisoner swap for a long-term ceasefire and a postponement of a maneuver south of Wadi Gaza," the media reports added.

However, a truce does not mean a complete cessation of hostilities, at least not for the Israeli occupation forces. Israeli forces targeted a group of civilians on the first day of the humanitarian ceasefire as they attempted to return from the southern to the northern Gaza Strip, resulting in the martyrdom of two and the injury of others.

In a press release, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that Israeli occupation forces attacked two farmers who were working on their land east of the al-Maghazi camp. This incident led to the martyrdom of one farmer and the injury of the other.

On the third day of the temporary ceasefire, seven Palestinians were injured by Israeli occupation forces' gunfire in the vicinity of the al-Quds Hospital in Tel Al-Hawa, west of Gaza City, and the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia, north of the Gaza Strip.

Numerous violations, according to Hamas top official Osama Hamdan, came in the form of the Israeli occupation going against stipulations regarding the truce, the prisoner swap, and the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.